Officials in Orange County, California, have decided to halt implementation of a “vaccine passport” system after fierce public backlash. Plans for the application were scrapped last week after hundreds of OC residents registered to speak against it at a County Board of Supervisors meeting.
Officials had been developing the application, unbeknownst to residents, since last fall. ITN filed an information request with the County and obtained a copy of the contract awarded to tech firm Composite Apps to develop the application earlier this month.
The application was billed by officials not as a passport but rather a way to digitally keep health records. The contract however refers to the app as a “vaccine passport” four separate times and specifically states the ability to provide “proof” of vaccination to businesses as a feature.
ITN inquired further with officials about the difference in representation but to date has received no response.
After hundreds of residents registered to speak out against the system at the Supervisors’ meeting on May 11, Chairmen Andrew Do proposed a vote to halt its implementation. “That is to pause for now and stop all work on developing a digital record or a QR code as a form of verification for vaccination — that’s it,” Do said.
He said he made the move “in order to take this issue off the table, so that way we don’t cause more confusion to residents who may want to get vaccinated.” The motion to stop use of the passport passed by a vote of 4-1.
Residents had been vocal in their opposition to such a system for several weeks before hand.
“People want to go back to things that make them happy,” an unidentified OC resident said at an April 13 meeting when the system was proposed. “And what you’re doing is dangling a carrot in front of their faces and they’re going to do what it takes to be free again.”
“Well I’m here to tell you, you don’t own our freedom. We’re not consenting to this. I expect each and every one of you to say this is a no go. You’re here to represent us. This is unacceptable,” she added.